Energy Program

Safeguarding the Colorado Plateau from destructive development and promoting renewable energy alternatives

The Colorado Plateau is home to some of the most spectacular landscapes, canyons, and rivers in the United States. It also contains significant deposits of potential energy resources. Mining unconventional fuel deposits unique to this region threatens the land, water, and air, and in the case of oil shale and tar sands, could dramatically expand our nation’s carbon footprint. At the same time ample solar and wind resources call for renewable energy alternatives.

Energy - Slideshow

Photovoltaic installation on the Navajo Nation with Shonto Energy and Colby College volunteers, Spring 2014.

An off-grid solar system installation at the home of Paula Curtis near Leupp, Arizona on the Navajo Nation.

Amanda Voisard

80KW solar photovoltaic system being installed at Leupp High School, Leupp, Arizona.

Daniel Snyder

A happy crowd stands in front of a 40KW solar system installed at St. Michael's Indian School.

Daniel Snyder

Investing $5 million in community-based renewable energy

An agreement in 2005 between the Trust and owners of a coal-fired power plant provided $5 million in renewable energy grants for homes, schools, and community buildings located on the Navajo, Hopi, Hualapai, and Zuni reservations. More than 200 solar, wind, and energy efficiency projects received funding for materials, while supporting partners covered labor and other costs.

Energy - Remediation

Michael Collier

Remediation

We safeguard the Colorado Plateau’s iconic landscapes from destructive uranium mining and milling.

In partnership with a broad coalition, we won a 20-year ban on new uranium mines within the Grand Canyon watershed, and continue to fight for the closure and timely clean-up of existing uranium mines like the Kanab North mine pictured here.

Zombie Mines - Sign Our Petition

Energy - Protection Utah

The use of our federal public lands – such as these – for oil shale and tar sands mining threatens to destroy the Colorado Plateau’s iconic landscapes.

Tim Peterson

Strip mining for tar sands requires removal (and destruction) of the land surface – a practice often analogized to mountain top removal for coal.

Taylor McKinnon

Over 810,000 acres of federal land in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming are available for oil shale and tar sands mining, threatening to irreparably degrade land, water, and air.

Robin Silver

For decades, industry has failed to make oil shale and tar sands mining economically viable. These unconventional fuels are the bottom of the barrel – the worst oil in the West’s best places.

Robin Silver

Oil shale and tar sands development near the Green River, along with oil and gas development in the Uinta Basin, threaten water quality and quantity throughout the Colorado River Basin.

Taylor McKinnon

The Trust’s Energy Program works to keep landscapes like this free of oil shale and tar sands, keeping these dirty fuels in the ground where they belong.

Ray Bloxham

Protecting Utah from Destructive Energy Development

The Trust is fighting oil shale and tar sand mining on federal lands across the Colorado Plateau. Oil shale and tar sand development on our federal public lands would accelerate climate change, obliterate spectacular landscapes through strip-mining, threaten water quality in key Colorado River tributaries, and increase air pollution.

Energy - Our Role

Our Role

We protect the Colorado Plateau from destructive impacts of energy development. We oppose the extraction and use of the Plateau’s high carbon fuels – oil shale, tar sands, and coal. We work to prevent uranium mining and milling from harming the Plateau’s air, water, and land. We advocate for the Plateau’s transition towards wind and solar energy sources.

Our Solutions Title

Our Solutions

Energy - Our Solutions

Fight Uranium

We fight uranium contamination and ensure that operating companies comply with federal environmental laws. We are litigating to force the White Mesa Uranium Mill – the only operating uranium mill in the United States – to comply with the Clean Air Act. We defend Grand Canyon against new uranium mines and fight for the closure of existing mines on the South Rim.

Oppose Dirty Energy

The Colorado Plateau is ground zero in the battle to keep dirty energy in the ground. Strip mining oil shale and tar sand deposits threatens to decimate northeastern Utah, and takes the country in the wrong direction. We are leading efforts to prevent the Plateau’s federal public land, air, and water resources from being destroyed by oil shale and tar sand mining.

Support Renewables

Renewable energy is a critically important part of replacing carbon intensive fuels and diversifying regional economies. We help to develop renewable energy policies and projects to reduce harmful emissions and to assist communities in their transition away from coal. We fund solar, wind and energy efficiency projects in collaboration with partners and volunteers.